Tube cleaner



Dec. 15, 1936.

W. S. ELLIOTT TUBE CLEA-NER Filed July 28, 1932 f m/ W9 ww y NN NN z wwwMQWJQH kNmwN N 15N NNNN NN@ @1 WN, W M LIT/@7 L in NNY 0N Patented Dec.l5, 1936 UNITED STATES PA'IENT OFFICE TUBE CLEANER of PennsylvaniaApplication July 28, 1932, Serial No. 625,267

6 Claims.

The present invention relates broadly to the art of cleaning tubes, andmore particularly to an improved form of tube cleaner for this purpose.

Tube cleaners, as at present constructed, are of two general types.Included within the rst type are those cleaners which have pivotallymounted cleaning elements adapted to swing outwardly due to centrifugalforce and by a series of blows effect the desired loosening of the scaleor deposit on the inside of the tub-e being cleaned. Such elements swingabout axes which are at substantially right angles to the longitudinalaxis of the tube being cleaned, and the elements are effective similarlyto a plurality of hammers, thus exerting a very eiilcient cleaningaction.

Within the second class of cleaners may be included those in which thecleaning elements, while moving outwardly under the inuence ofcentrifugal force, move outwardly in a general radial direction throughslots or openings provided for that purpose.

Elements of the rst type have been found to be highly eflicient forloosening heavy scale deposits and effecting a partial removing thereof.Due to their action, however, they do not thoroughly clean the tubesurface, leaving spots of scale. Cleaners of the second type constitutea more eilicient cleaning means for such spots, or polishing means fortube surfaces, but a much less efcient heavy scale removal means. Theselimitations characteristic of the different types of cleaners have madeit difficult to satisfactorily clean and polish a tube having a heavyscale deposit thereon without providing two different types of tubecleaners, or subjecting a given tube to repeated action by a singlecleaner.

I have found that it is possible to effectively construct a cleanerwhich embodies the effective cleaning characteristics of the first typeand the effective polishing characteristics of the second type with sucha small over-all dimension as to make the structure entirely practical.One object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner adapted toserve both as a scale remover and a tube polisher.

I have also found that it is possible in a construction of the generalcharacter referred to, to incorporate the two types of elements, both ofwhich are necessarily individually removable, and provide a commonkeeper for maintaining all of the elements in position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combined cleanerand polisher of the character referred to wherein the outward swingingmovement of the cleaning elements is controlled in such manner as to besubstantially equal to the outward sliding movement of the polishingelements, so that with the parts in operation, polishing of the tubesurface to the full extent to which it has been subjected to a cleaningaction by the cleaning elements, is insured.

When it is considered that tubes having an internal diameter as large as4 to 6 inches, or as small as 2 inches, are mechanically cleaned in thegeneral manner set forth, the advantages and necessity of extremecompactness become apparent. In addition to compactness, the cleanermust be of such construction that considerable freedom of movement ofthe diierent elements is possible, to enable them to swing or move out-Wardly in a required manner to effect complete scale removal, and tomove inwardly to the extent necessary to permit easy insertion into acorroded tube. Freedom of outward movement, coupled with a considerablerange of movement, further enables the Various elements to assume anydesired angular position relative to the sur face being cleaned, therebyadapting the structure to the removing of irregular deposits.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown for purposes of illustrationonly, a preferred em bodiment of my invention. In the drawing- UJIFigure l is an end elevational View of one form of combined cleaner headconstructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View along the line II-II oi Figure1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a view partly in section and partly in end elevation alongthe line III- III of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;and

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view on the line IV-IV of Figure 2,looking in the direction of the arrows.

In accordance with the present invention, there may be provided acleaner head 2 in the form oi a cage or spider comprising a frontdisklike mounting 3 and a rear disk-like mounting 4 connected and heldin the desired spaced relation by means of arms 5 connecting the disks 3and 4 adjacent their peripheral portions. In this manner there isprovided a mounting cage of coreless construction, or one in which thecenter portion 6 of the head is entirely unobstructed, as r ings T, asillustrated more particularly in Figure 2 of the drawing. Formed in therear mounting 4 is a similar series of radially disposed openings 8which differ from the openings i only in the fact that the openings 'lextend completely through the 'front mounting 3 while the openings 8extend only partly through the rear mounting 4, as will be apparent fromFigure 2 of the drawing.

Projecting rearwardly, or secured to the rear mounting 4 is a hub 9provided with internal threads l0, which are either right-hand orlefthand depending upon the direction in which the cleaner is to rotate.In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing the structure rotates in aclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1, and therefore the threads l0are right-hand so that when the driving shaft, which is provided with athreaded male member, is engaged with the threads l0 and the structurerotated, the rotative movement will tend to tighten the parts.

The head 2 is adapted to carry the radially moving cleaning andpolishing elements before referred to. Each of these elements preferablycomprises an individual pin ll, the total number of pins correspondingto the number of slots or openings 'l or 8. Each of the pins is of suchlength so that when slipped into the position illustrated in Figure 2through the openings 1 the front ends l2 of the pins will not projectbeyond the face of the 'front mounting 3. During this assemblingoperation there are alternately slipped into position on each of thepins, cutting or polishing elements I4 and washers i5, these being ofsuch construction that they may rotate freely on the pins, or rotatewith the pins in the openings 'l and 8. In the illustrated embodiment, Ihave shown two such cutting or polishing elements Hl on each of thepins, the head and elements I4 being properly proportioned to this end.

The assembly of the cleaning and polishing elements having beencompleted, a keeper I6 in the form of a disk is slipped endwise intoposition H over a projection l1 on a hub I8, thereby forming an endclosure for the openings 'l and preventing endwise movement of the pinsIl out of the head 2. Thereafter a cleaning head i9 having a threadingextension 2D is threaded into the opening in the hub i8, the projectionand opening also having right-hand threads so that rotation of the head2 in the direction referred to will tend to tighten the heads 2 and i9.

'Ihe head IQ is of such dimensions as to engage the keeper I6, if used,and prevent removal thereof. Formed in its outer periphery is a seriesof equi-distant slots 2l each having formed in each side thereof akey-way 22 of such contour as to receive and interlock with a roundedhead 23 on a pin 24. Before the head I9 is slipped into position, aseries of cleaning elements 25, corresponding in number to the number ofthe slots 2l, is fitted into position.

Each of these cleaning elements comprises a generally conical cuttingand hammering disk 26 rotatably mounted on a pin 21 having an enlargedhead 28 at the front end thereof. Each pin extends through its disk 26,thence through a washer 29 and into and partly through a bearing 30. Thebearings 30 are of such dimensions as to t within the slots 2l, as willbe apparent more particularly from Figure 2 of the drawing. The pins andthe parts carried thereby having been assembled with the bearings 30,the pins 24 are moved transversely through the bearings 30 in suchmanner as to engage slots in the pins 2'! so as to interlock the pins2'? with the bea-rings 3G and prevent movement outwardly thereof or tothe right as viewed in Figure 2 relative to thc bearings. The completeassemblies are then slipped endwise from the left, viewing Figure 2,into the slots 2i and key-ways 22. Locking pins 3l are then slipped intothe key-ways 22 and into engagement with the heads 23 on the pins 20 sothat when the head i9 is threaded into position the ends of the lockingpins 3l will abut against the keeper I6 and hold all of the partsagainst movement. The construction described in this paragraph isdescribed and claimed in my Patent No. 928,432, granted July 20, 1909.

The shape of the bearings 3Q is such that they may swing outwardly intothe position illustrated in the upper portion of Figure 2, or inwardlyinto the position illustrated in the bottom portion of this gure. Itwill be noted that in the outer position they extend outwardly to thesame extent as the elements id in the head 2 when in their outerposition, and that when inwardly they correspond to the inward positionof the eements lfS. Thus, the composite tool may be readily moved intoposition within a tube. Due to the coreless character of the head 2, theelements lf3 may be of a maximum diameter to provide a large number ofteeth and therefore maximum life, while at the same time having amaximum movement inwardly and outwardly of thc head 2 withoutinterference.

In actual use, the cleaning elements 25 will swing outwardly about thetransverse axes of the pins 24 and subject the scale to a series ofhammer-like blows eiective for loosening and removing the major portionof the scale or deposit. As the cleaner progresses through the tube, theportion thereof previously subjected to the action of the elements 25will be engaged by the elements IG effective for removing any remainingscale and smoothing and polishing the inside of the tube surface. Sincethe elements have coordinated movements in both an outward and an inwarddirection, it will be apparent that the elements ill may smooth orpolish to the full diameter that the elements 25 are capable oicleaning.

By reason of the construction described, the

cleaning head I9 serves as a locking means for the pins which carry thepolishing elements of the head 2, and the head 2 constitutes a carrierand driving means for the head IS so that both heads rotate in operationabout a common axis.

It thus appears that the front set of cleaning 4 elements 25 are mountedon a common pivot plane and are circularly spaced with respect to theframe and that the rear pairs of elements lll are also mounted on acommon cross-sectional plane and are circularly spaced with respect tothe frame. The combined action of the cleaning and polishing elements issuch that when the tool has once been moved through a tube, the depositis completely removed and the tube surface left in the desired conditionfor re-use.

By reason of the provision of a rigid head carrying freely radiallyoutwardly swingable cleaning elements and cleaning elements freelyoutwardly movable as a whole a positive cooperation is obtained betweenthe respective cleaning elements which very eifectively accomplishes thedesired purpose. The first mentioned cleaning elements pass through thetube and break oif by hammer-like blows the heavy deposits orencrustations, and the second mentioned cleaning elements remove theresidue and polish the tube wall. As all of the cleaning elements aremounted in a rigid head, they positively cooperate in controlledrelationship to clean the tube, the two sets of cleaning elementsfollowing along directly behind one another, thus insuring effectiveoperation of both, which would not be insured with a flexible head.Preferably the outward limit of movement of all of the cleaning elementsis substantially the same, which further insures effective cleaning ofthe tube, as if one set of elements had an outward limit of movementless than the other set the latter would have a more pronounced effectand the former would be relatively ineffective.

The front pivoted set of cleaning elements strikes heavier, harder blowsthan the succeeding set of bodily movable cleaner elements, as explainedin the early part of this speciiication; bo-th because the front armsare pivoted while the back arms are bodily movable, and because of thegreater weight of the front arms, as shown.

Ano-ther peculiar and unexpected advantage of this particulararrangement of both sets of cleaner elements has been found in actualpractice to be that when the proper speed of rotation is imparted tosuch a head, the centrifugal force exerted on the rear set of bodilymovable cleaning elements tends to vkeep the head centered within thetube without injuring the tube. Thus, the tendency of the swingingcleaner elements to move the head sidewise when they strike projectionsof scale material located eccentrically or at one side of the tube; isresisted and at least in part corrected by the rear bodily movablecleaner elements. Also, gravity tends to move the head as a whole towardthe bottom surface of the interior of the tube and this also issimilarly resisted by the rear bodily movable set of arms when actuatedby centrifugal force. Eccentric positions of the cleaner head as a wholeare thus resisted or overcome.

While I have herein illustrated and described the preferred embodimentof my invention, it will be understood that changes in the constructionand operation herein illustrated and described may be made withoutdeparting either from the spirit of the invention or the scope of mybroader claims.

I claim:

1. In a tube cleaner, a rotatable head having separable portions,radially outwardly swinging cleaning elements carried by one portion ofsaid head, and radially outwardly sliding cleaning elements carried byanother portion of said head, said portions having common means soconstructed and arranged as to permit upon separation thereof assemblyand disassembly of the cleaning elements and their respective portionsof the head.

2. In a rotatable tube cleaner, a polishing head having cleaningelements therein mounted for radially outward sliding movement, acleaning head secured to said polishing head, cleaning elements carriedby said cleaning head and mounted for radially outward swinging movementtherein, said cleaner including common means between the two headsconstructed and arranged to keep the cleaning elements in positiontherein when the polishing head and cleaning head are connectedtogether.

3. Tube cleaner construction, comprising a rotatable cleaning headcarrying cleaning elements pivotally mounted for radially outwardmovement, a polishing head carrying cleaning elements slidably mountedfor radially outward movement, and common means between the two headseffective upon .assembly of said heads for maintaining saidrst-mentioned cleaning elements in place with respect to the cleaninghead and said seco-nd mentioned cleaning elements in place with respectto the polishing head. 4. A rotary tube cleaner head having a rigidframe, said frame having a front set of cleaning elements pivotedthereto, and a rear set of bodily movable cleaning elements havingguides which allow outward or radial movement therein under centrifugalforce, and common means for holding all said elements in position in theframe.

5. A rotary tube cleaner head having a forward set of pivoted pins and arearward set of slidable pins, the p-ins of both sets carrying cleaningelements, and being arranged to move substantially in radial directions,and common means for maintaining .all of said pins in position.

6. A rotary tube cleaner head comprising front and rear separablesections', a set of cleaning elements, bearings pivotally mounting saidset in the front section, a set of bodily movable cleaning elements,bearings mounting said second-mentioned set in the rear section to allowoutward movement under centrifugal force, a common rigid locking devicefor keeping the bearing of both sections in position, and locking meanscooperating with said locking device for .aiding in maintaining thebearings of one of said sections in position.

WILLIAM S. ELLIOTT.

